If you are a VFR-only pilot, you'll soon see that night flight is (or, in a heartbeat, can be) much like flying on instruments -- because you may have to. You might find this out soon after you point your nose skyward on your first night fright...I mean, flight. But there's more to the story...

When I am sitting back in the coach section of an airliner (row 28F) on a dark and stormy night, I don’t much care that the airplane’s captain can execute a perfect Lazy Eight maneuver. What I care about is his or her ability to make good decisions in tight situations and get me on the ground safe and sound (at my intended destination). So if the goal is to complete the ‘mission’ of the flight, why do we place so much emphasis on ‘maneuvers’ that may or may not have direct application to the flight?